CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Salem Red Sox Game Notes

Published on June 15, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


After playing eight straight seven-inning doubleheader games against Lynchburg, the Sox and Cats are scheduled for one normal nine-inning matchup tonight... First pitch at 6:05...

Let's Play Nine!: Weather permitting, the Red Sox and Hillcats have the opportunity to do something that they haven't done against one another since April 27: play one normal nine-inning game. Rain has haunted Salem and Lynchburg's matchups this year, creating a plethora of doubleheaders. The first five games between the two clubs this year were nine-inning contests, but each of the last six have part of a doubleheader, and consequently, seven innings. Recently, the Salem Sox have been overwhelmed by twin-bills, with eight of their last 14 games lasting seven innings. After tonight's ballgame, the Sox and Cats are scheduled for one more double dip on Sunday to wrap up the first half.

De La Cruising: With hits in both games on Friday, Keury De La Cruz remained red hot and extended his hitting streak to 14 games, in which he is batting an incredible .471 (24-for-51)! With Lynchburg's Elmer Reyes failing to get a hit on Friday, his 15-game streak, the longest individual streak in the Carolina League this year, came to an end. That puts De La Cruz in a position to match the longest streak in the league in 2013 in Saturday's action. Since June 3, De La Cruz owns the best average in the entire Advanced-A level of minor league baseball. He has recorded eight extra-base hits and 17 RBI during his hitting streak, which includes his fourth homer of the season that he jacked in game one on Friday night.

A Complete Effort: While Kyle Stroup lost his shutout bid in the last inning, the righthander still went the distance in a superb three-hitter that guided Salem into the winners' circle in game one on Friday night. It was Stroup's second career complete game and the third time in his last four starts that Stroup has pitched seven innings. Stroup heads into the All-Star Break having gone 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA over his last four starts. He needed 87 pitches to complete seven frames on Friday.

Checking Cecchini: He's still hitting .351, far and away the best average in the league. But compared to the dynamic first month and a half, Cecchini has just been calmly chugging along. In his last 26 games, Salem's third-baseman has 28 hits and 19 walks for an average of .309 and an OBP of .456, but 25 of his 28 hits have been singles in this time span, with three doubles mixed in. In his first 35 games, Cecchini recorded 23 extra-base hits, 14 doubles, four triples, and five home runs, the last of which came on May 12 in Myrtle Beach. He hit .378 in his first 35 games, with an OBP of .473.

85 Game Scoring Streak Ends: The 2013 nearly made it to the All-Star Break without being shutout, a quest that ended in game two on Friday night. Without top hitter Garin Cecchini in the lineup, the Sox failed to score in the nightcap, suffering its first shutout since August 12, 2012, when the Sox fell 5-0 in Wilmington. It ended an 85-game streak of scoring at least one run in every game. After Friday night, every team in the league has been blanked at least once. Interestingly, Salem remains the only team in the league that has not been shutout twice this year. Every other squad has been blanked multiple times, with Wilmington having been shutout eight times.

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Carolina League Stories from June 15, 2013


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